Peace
by purelyromantic
Summary: Sometimes Bella can't understand why Edward loves her... He proceeds to explain. Short, fluffy one shot of Edward and Bella.


**Disclaimer: **I am not Stephenie Meyer and none of this belongs to me.

**Author's Note:** I always manage to come up with new one shots when I should be finishing something else. Oh well, I know you all won't complain! =D

I have a beta! Thank you so much to Subtlynice who very kindly agreed to be my beta and for going through this for me. Go and read her stuff. They. Are. Out. Of. This. World!

I celebrated my 21st birthday on 17/07. Since I can't give all my lovely readers and reviewers a piece of cake, I'm giving you an Edward/Bella fic! The timeline for this is whenever you wish it to be when Bella was human.

I have to say, that beautiful first meadow scene with Edward and Bella in the _Eclipse_ movie had a lot to do with the creation of this story.

Enjoy!

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Something soft was fluttering across my face, lightly brushing against my still-closed eyelids, my nose, each cheek and my lips. I felt myself being gently pulled out of the peaceful slumber that I had clearly succumbed to.

Returning to consciousness, my gaze was met by a pair of beautiful butterscotch eyes and a tender smile.

Edward...

I smiled sleepily up at him.

"Hi," I said, softly, bringing a hand up to stifle my yawn.

"Hi," he whispered back, brushing a finger across my cheek with a feather-light touch. Lowering his head he rubbed the tip of his nose against mine and gently touched his lips to my mouth in a soft kiss.

My hands acted out of their own volition and made their way to his untameable head of hair as my mouth responded to his sensual touch. His lips were gentle against mine and whispered, in their own language, words of love and devotion.

My lips moved to every feature of his that I could reach, echoing his exploration of my own face. He cradled my head in his hands and smiled peacefully as my lips ghosted across his eyes, cheeks and lips, worshipping what was so unbelievably mine.

Kissing his lips one final time, I lay my head back on the soft grass of our meadow.

"I could get used to waking up like that," I said, a little breathlessly, running my fingers through his scalp. He closed his eyes for a moment and hummed in pleasure.

"Your wish is my command, Miss Swan," he breathed over me. "You looked so peaceful, I hated to wake you. But I have to get you home soon, love. Charlie might come after me with his gun."

He pressed his lips to my chin, peppering kisses along my jaw line.

I giggled, as an image of Charlie's dumbfounded look at bullets ricocheting off Edward's indestructible body popped unbidden into my head.

He seemed amused.

"Find that funny do you?" he murmured against my neck, his lips slowly descending towards my collarbone.

My giggles abruptly stopped as my breath hitched. Why was it starting to go dark?

"Breathe, Bella," he said, raising his eyes to meet mine.

I sucked in a large gulp of air as my vision cleared. I frowned up at his slightly smug look. Always able to distract me...

I groaned and reluctantly raised myself till I was sitting. It was so comfortable here in the meadow where we could be alone, uninterrupted by Charlie or Alice or anyone else. I glanced at Edward who was sitting next to me and admired the way the sun reflected off his skin. I wrapped my arms around my knees and just watched him.

"What are you looking at?" he asked me.

"You," I replied, tracing his sparkling face before placing my palm on his cheek. He nestled into my hand and smiled softly. "You're beautiful."

"As you are," he replied.

I shook my head and looked down. I could never understand how Edward saw me. I was average in every possible way. The only thing I seemed to be superior at was stumbling. I wasn't special in any way and I couldn't for the life of me, see what it was about me that he was so attracted to.

A cool finger slipped under my chin and he raised my head to meet my gaze. His eyes were burning in their intensity and I felt myself becoming lost in the heat of his stare. Before I knew what was happening I was sitting in his lap with his hands cradling my face.

"Bella," he breathed, rubbing his thumbs on my cheeks. A look of frustration passed his face before it melted into amused resignation.

"I'm running out of ways to explain what you mean to me, love" he said.

I looked up at him, chewing my lip.

"Maybe because there isn't really that much to explain," I said, knowing this would only frustrate him more but honestly unable to see anything besides it.

"I could say it in another language," he said, smiling. "What would you prefer? French? Spanish? Italian maybe?"

"Be my guest. I won't have any idea what you're saying though..." I said, winding my arms around his neck.

He sighed.

"You _are _beautiful," he said, brushing his lips across my forehead. "I don't care how many times I have to say it but I will until you believe me. You're beautiful because you have the most enchanting face I have seen in a century."

I flushed.

"Your eyes are so expressive and sincere. I know you mean what you say, always," he continued, softly kissing my eyelids. His lips moved to mine, gently kissing them. "These lips tell me everyday that I'm loved," he said, not pulling away.

"But above all that, you're beautiful because you're kind, you're selfless, you care about everyone around you no matter how they treat you, you have a sense of compassion and love that I've seen only in Carlisle and Esme," he went on, staring into my eyes.

I couldn't even form the words to protest.

"And most of all you bring me peace, Bella," he said earnestly, his eyes firing, passionately. "You bring me a kind of peace I've never found anywhere, with anyone. With you it's just...us. For once, it's just my thoughts in my mind."

I looked at him curiously.

"I thought you hated that you couldn't hear my thoughts?" I said.

He shrugged and looked away.

"I always want to know what you're thinking. I won't lie. I love you and everything about you enthrals me, including your thoughts," he said, twirling his finger around my hair. "But for the first time since I was changed, there's nothing in my mind except what I'm thinking. For so long I've never been alone in my mind. People don't filter what they think. It's not always pleasant."

I brought my hand to his forehead and tried to ease the crease that had formed there.

"My family try their best to keep it at a minimum, but how is anyone supposed to stop thinking? It's always there, no matter how hard I try to block it out."

His gaze locked on mine again.

"But with you, I don't have to deal with that. I told you once how you bring out my human traits more. This is one of those times. Normal people don't hear thoughts. With you I feel...well, normal. Human."

My heart felt full. Like something was about to spill over.

"Oh, Edward..." I said, leaning forward to kiss him. He gladly responded, cupping my face in his hands.

"Do you see?" he asked, seriously, when we broke away. "Do you see why you're so beautiful in my eyes? You give me everything. A sense of belonging and peace. With you I can just _be_. Just you and me and nothing else."

I looked at his golden eyes and let the love he felt for me seep into my body. It was a warm, comforting feeling and I snuggled into his embrace feeling content and happy. He kissed the top of my head and held me against his chest for what seemed like forever.

It was starting to get dark and I sighed, knowing we would have to leave now, if I was to avoid an interrogation when I arrived home.

Edward helped me to my feet and I moved to kiss him once more. Clasping his face in my hands, I whispered, "_You_ are what makes me beautiful. I love you."

He smiled serenely. "As I you," he said, before taking my hand and leading me back home.

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**A/N:** As always I love to hear from you... Please review. It makes me happy!


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